Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Moldova sign cooperation agreement in Tbilisi
The Foreign Ministers of the GUAM countries (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Moldova) have signed a joint communiqué on their readiness to continue close cooperation, Interfax reports.
The signing took place on Sunday, October 8, in Tbilisi. The special meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs (CMFA) of GUAM was devoted to the 20th anniversary of the founding of the organization. According to Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze, they discussed prospects for further cooperation between the GUAM member countries at the meeting.
"It is very important that we have an open dialogue that serves the democratic and economic development of our countries," he said after signing the document.
Additionally, one of the most important topics of the meeting was the issue of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all four states that are members of the Organization.
Another topic, according to Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, was the discussion of the prospects for holding sports games between the representatives of GUAM member countries.
Since 2017, the Organization has been presided over by Georgia. In 2018, Moldova will chair GUAM.
In early July, 2016, Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman suggested holding a meeting of heads of governments of GUAM member countries in Kyiv this fall to discuss the introduction of a free trade zone.
The GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development was created in 1997 by Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova (from 1999 to 2005, the organization also included Uzbekistan).